IPS officer's killing: MP government slammed, judicial probe ordered

Friday March 09, 2012 07:39:27 PM, IANS

Bhopal/New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh Friday ordered a judicial inquiry into the brutal Holi day murder of police officer Narendra Kumar while trying to stop a tractor carrying illegally-quarried stones even as political parties slammed the BJP government over the killing and the victim's father alleged a political conspiracy.

"I have given orders for a judicial inquiry so that a detailed report could be submitted in the incident," Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told media persons after a meeting with senior officials in Bhopal.

He said the state high court has been requested to appoint a judge to head the inquiry.

The 32-year-old, 2009 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer was killed Thursday when the tractor-trolley ran over him when he tried to stop it in Madhya Pradesh's Morena district. He was the sub-divisional police officer of Bamor.

Kumar's father alleged Friday that his son's murder was a political conspiracy and that his son and daughter-in-law were "threatened" by a local legislator.

"Since a few days he (Narendra Kumar) was telling me that he was acting against illegal mining mafias and had seized several vehicles but they got released," Keshav Dev, a sub inspector posted in Aligarh, told reporters at Gwalior.

However, Home Minister Uma Shankar Gupta refuted Keshav Dev's allegations, saying there were no reports of vehicles seized for illegal mining activities being released.

Calling the killing "very unfortunate", the Congress accused the BJP of patronising corruption.

"We have been saying that this is the way the BJP fights against corruption. The whole country knows what is happening in Karnataka and now the Madhya Pradesh government has found a new way to fight corruption," said Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi.

The Congress held demonstrations in several parts of the state and has announced a statewide bandh on March 13.

Congress leader Digvijay Singh alleged the involvement of Chouhan and other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in illegal mining in the state.

"There is ample evidence to prove that the chief minister's family is involved in the illegal mining. We have got proof that a number of people including BJP MLAs, MPs and influential people are involved in mining activity in open connivance of BJP leadership," Singh, a former Madhya Pradesh chief minister, told reporters in New Delhi.

Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Sharad Yadav also called for strict action against the culprits involved in the killing.

"I have raised the issue of illegal mining in the state before. Both BJP and Congress leaders are looting the natural resources in the state. The Madhya Pradesh government should take immediate and strict action against the culprits," he said.

Communist Party of India-Marxist MP Sitaram Yechury said: "It was clear that something is happening. The chief minister and the state government is responsible under the constitution for law and order and they have to answer this and also unearth why such a thing has happened and who is behind it."

Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal called for a stringent whistleblower protection law.

"When will this stop? System supports corrupt people and victimises those fighting them. Narendra Kumar, 2009 batch IPS officer crushed by a tractor allegedly by mining mafia. So many killed last few years fighting corruption," Kejriwal said on micro-blogging site Twitter.

Kiran Bedi, a former IPS officer and another member of Team Anna, said: "Corrupt politician-politicised bureaucracy, weak police leadership creates life threatening crime situations for brave young IPS entrants."

Narendra Kumar was not the only state police official targeted on Holi day.

In neighbouring Bhind, Additional Superintendent of Police Jaidevan A. escaped with injuries in an attack when he tried to close liquor shops which had opened on a dry day. Former BJP legislator, Narendra Singh Kushwaha, was reportedly found involved in the incident.

In the third incident, Inspector Raghuram Prasad was killed while Assistant Sub-Inspector R.B. Goyal was critically injured in an attack by unidentified persons while on patrol in Khairgaon district.
 

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